January 24, 1994 By JASON KURYLO You see them everywhere, most of- ten hunched over near a doorway. You've seen them huddled together, sharing body heat to keep warm.Often, they'll greet you with a smile, and sometimes, even a warm ‘Hello. They try desperately to look like the rest of us, but it’s a wasted effort. Even when you get past the bad breath and the smelly clothes, you just can't look at them the same. You can try to feel sorry for them, but there’s no point, because they've brought their problems upon themselves. They're out- casts. They’re...smokers. While it’s true the wishes of the “non-smoker” have finally begun to pre- vail over those of the “smoker” (At the risk of sounding Politically Correct, why have we received the prefix of ‘non’? We're not the ones with the vice. ‘Non’ makes it sound as if we're missing some- thing...), it is still next to impossible to find a truly smoke-free nonsmoking sec- tion in a restaurant. Even most smokers hate having someone nearby light up while they're eating. I applaud the tendency of public places to prohibit smoking in areas of low air circulation. The increasing amount of nonsmoking airspace is (par- don the pun) a breathtaking phenom- enon. Take airplanes, for example. The common sense move to banish smok- ing from most flights was only recently made. Who originally thought it should be proper protocol to allow personal possession of an open flame in a pres- surized airspace, anyway? Some steps have been taken to lighten the load (read lung), and that’s great. Lately, though, the nonsmoker has encountered a side-effect of their ear- lier victories. In the old days, walking into a building often meant hitting a wall of suffocating smoke. A sudden tickle in the throat and a tear in the eye were the price you paid for stepping in that door. Now, indoor air is clean, smokeless, and generally pleasant to breathe (depend- Other Press Here Miners roe. ing, of course, on what your lab partner happened to have for lunch). The prob- lem has now been transplanted out- doors. . Each day, upon entrance and exit, regardless of time or choice of access door, Douglas College students are greeted with that same wall of smoke. Outside. Of course, in the warmer months, the smoke dissipates much faster, but in winter, it hangs onto hair, clothes, skin, bags, books, and whatever else you may have in your possession. Personally, if 1 wanted to smell that way, I'd take my books to a night club for an hour or two, thank you very much. Without diving into the old, over- done complaints (cancer, stench, the ‘kissing of the ashtray’), let's talk about the environmental damage done by smoking. Worldwide, packaging waste produced by the tobacco industry ex- ceeds any other single perishable con- sumer good. You name it — cloth and disposable diapers, bottled, canned, and boxed drinks, even fast-food containers — they all come up second to the mighty smoke. Not to mention that dis- posable lighters, lighter fluid, and matches are dangerous products in use and in waste. The cigarette itself is not blameless: ashtrays filled with disgusting remnants of a brutal habit are a common sight wherever food or drink are served. Gross. The semi-gaseous excretions of smokers are a major contributor to air pollution as a whole, and before you smokers start pointing the finger, say- ing “Yeah, well...you drive a car, pal!...” please tell me how many smokers do not use transport vehicles that pollute the air. If you drive a solar or electric car, that’s a valid point. If not, pthbbbpt. I don’t know what the solution is. I don’t suppose taxing tobacco of exist- ence is possible, because our friendly neighbour Uncle Sam would gladly pro- vide a great deal on smokes. (Can you say ‘bootleg’? I knew you could...) Be- sides, look at how many jobs the tobacco Douglas College, 700 ster, B.C. V3L 5B2; Telephone (604) 525-3505, FAX ” (604) 527-5095. g 3 i COORDINATORS: : Production: Scott Simmer ' Sports: Elain Leyong Creative Dug Hébert 5 Office: Tim Crumley ; Arts & Culture: Tara Meiklejohn Staff & Contributors: Jason Kurylo JimIrving Manjit Brar Mike Dutton Candice Lee Holly Keyes Tony Sousa Charlotte Holt Nancy Vanden-Oyhel Katarina Malczewski industry supports. Why, there’s the manufacturing of the cigarettes/cigars/ pipes/etc.; the shipping, marketing, wholesaling, vending; not to mention the self-help groups, doctors, nurses, surgeons, insurance companies, under- takers (To be poetic, why not cremate him?); don’t forget the cough-drop peo- ple, the Patch people, the Canadian Can- cer Society people... The list goes on and on. All those people would have to be retrained in something useless. Like fix- ing up the school system or something... Lastly, I'd like to draw your attention to the first paragraph of this article. A friend of mine that looked at it com- plained, “Smokers are just like everybody else. Relax. It’s not like they’re all bums or something...” One thought: how many times have you seen a smoker drop a cigarette on the ground, then pick it up and put it in their mouth? Despite the fact that they have a full pack in their pocket? It may not be the sign of a bum, but it is the sign of a desperate person. Would that smoker have done the same thing with an M & M?A piece of pie? A hot dog? It makes you think, doesn’t it? As you leave the college today, watch for that “wall.” Duck. And flip the guy standing there a quarter, in case he drops his smoke. Jouvlas Collere Thursday Performing het 1eatre come! Shier Jans Quintet - Convert Heather Hay - cello Valerie Rutter - piano featuring music by women composers Feb3 } Three Centuries of Medieval Song ANIMA Medieval Music Duo Janice Hill - voice Pat Unruh - vielle with Peter Dent. reader Feb 10. Ellen Silverman - piano Maras 9% Introduction to Mozart's Don Giovanni with artists from Vancouver Opera Mari? * Concert by Vancouver Chinese | Ensemble Programs are subject to change or cancellation without notice. Please call tha Performing Art Office at 327-5495 Jor further information Piatt on Recyce Pager - Prod by te Pa Inforsion Otic, Dongs College :